What is a passkey authenticator? Only the key to our passwordless tomorrow

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Passkeys are on a course to replace most passwords.
• Using passkeys involves a delicate balance of multiple technologies.
• One of those technologies is the "authenticator," of which there are multiple types.

In ZDNET's six-part series on how passkeys work and why the passwordless technology produces a significantly more secure login credential than typical usernames and passwords, I spilled a good deal of digital ink on the special role played by the authenticator.

Also: How passkeys work: The complete guide to your inevitable passwordless future

Each time you register or use a passkey, you're typically encountering four quasi-independent entities that, with the help of some relatively new standards, are integrated with one another to produce an end-to-end passkey user experience. 

What is a passkey authenticator?

The first of these ...